Ray Fittipaldo: Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is finally realizing the NFL is about outscoring the opposition

Ray Fittipaldo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Oct 30, 2025

Published in Football

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PITTSBURGH — In his opening remarks at his Tuesday news conference, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin lamented settling for field goals in the first half against the Packers. Even though the Steelers held a 16-7 lead at halftime, Tomlin said he felt uneasy because of the missed opportunities to put more points on the board.

“Seems like touchdowns is how it gets done in our business at this level, so it was a little bit less than comfortable at halftime settling for three field goals,” Tomlin said.

This quote hit a nerve in a restless Steelers fan base. How could Tomlin place the blame on the offense when it was his defense that surrendered 35 points, 28 of them coming in the second half?

First off, there might not be any rhyme or reason as to which subjects Tomlin addresses first in his news conference. But Tomlin has said in the past he isn’t just speaking to the fans who buy tickets and watch the games on television when he holds his weekly news conference. He uses these gatherings as a vehicle to send messages to his players, as well.

So, while many read into his words as making excuses for his underachieving defense, it also was acknowledgement the offense has more to give. That’s important to note for two reasons:

— Tomlin recognizes the shortcomings of his defense and is challenging his young offense to take more responsibility.

— Tomlin understands the NFL is an offensive league and outscoring opponents, rather than trying to hold them down, is how victories are engineered.

That might not be new ground in many NFL cities, but in Pittsburgh, where for so long the team’s identity has been tied to its defense and an old-school approach, it’s significant for the coach to evolve in his thinking.

The Steelers did not expect to be in this position, but they had better embrace it if they want to contend in what has become a topsy-turvy AFC playoff race. The Colts, Bills and Chiefs are among the top teams in the conference, and all three are among the top 10 in the league in scoring. The Steelers, the first-place team in the AFC North, are on the verge of the top 10 at No. 11.

The Steelers are third in the league in red-zone touchdown percentage, converting at an almost 74% clip when they get inside the 20-yard line. The problem against the Packers was when they crossed midfield, they had a hard time getting into the red zone because of some self-inflicted wounds.

As a result, all four of Boswell’s field goals were from 48 yards or more, including two from 56 yards.

“We hurt ourselves with penalties,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “We had opportunities to put ourselves in better situations. [Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith] did a great job of calling plays. We had a couple of busts and some opportunities we didn’t come up with. I missed a throw. We can’t expect Boz to be bailing us out like that every single week.”

This is a great week for Tomlin and the Steelers to embrace the offense. The Colts come to town with the NFL’s top scoring offense. They are averaging 33.8 points per game and have scored 30 points or more in six of their eight games. Their lowest point total of the season is 27.

Kicking field goals this week isn’t going to get the job done. For Tomlin, words are one thing. If he truly believes there is more for the Steelers offense to achieve, he must give them more opportunities to score.

The Steelers are last in the NFL in fourth-down attempts this season. Through seven games, they have gone for it on fourth down only four times. For many of the best teams in the league, going for it on fourth down is part of their identity.

The two teams that played in the Super Bowl after last season have fully embraced the fourth-down analytics. The Chiefs are 14 for 17 on their fourth-down attempts this season; the Eagles 11 of 14. Twenty-two of the 32 teams have at least 10 fourth-down attempts this season.

In today’s NFL, any time an offense crosses midfield, it is often four-down territory. The Steelers, because they have such an accurate kicker in Boswell, have not leaned into the fourth-down trend as much as other teams.

“I think you’re seeing some trends around the league of teams going for it, but we got a kicker who is pretty automatic from anywhere even going beyond 60,” Rodgers said. “Thankfully the field was in slightly better shape than the previous week. Boz was amazing. But we have to be ready to go for those and convert them if we have the chance.”

Sunday afternoon against the Colts would be a good time to start.

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